Gaekwad

Gaekwad (also spelled as Gaikwar and Gaikwad) (Marathi: गायकवाड Gāyǎkǎvāḍǎ) is a surname native to Indian state of Maharashtra.[1] The surname is found among the Marathas, Kolis and Scheduled caste and Brahmin people.[2][3][4] It is also a common surname among Bharadis,[5] Dhor,[6] and Mahar communities of Maharashtra.[7][8]

Etymology

The name Gaekwad is believed to be a combination of two words (Gai and Kavad). Gai means a cow and Kavad which means a small door therefore Gaekwad means Cow door.[9]

Notable people

Notable people with the surname include:

• Gaekwad's of Baroda - Maharajas of Baroda State
• Keerti Gaekwad Kelkar (born 1974), an Indian television actress and model
• Anshuman Gaekwad, a former Indian cricketer and two-time Indian national cricket coach
• Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, known by his mononymous stage name Rajinikanth, an Indian film actor and politician
• Ravindra Gaikwad, a member of the 16th Lok Sabha of India
• Hiralal Gaekwad, an Indian cricketer who played in one Test in 1952

See also

• Geekwad

References

1. Dick Kooiman (2002). Communalism and Indian Princely States: Travancore, Baroda, and Hyderabad in the 1930s. Manohar. Gaekwad is actually a surname and not a title or designation.
2. Kamal Ramprit Dikshit; Charulata Patil (1986). Maharashtra in maps. Maharashtra State Board for Literature and Culture. p. 106. Maratha surnames like More, Kadam and Gaekwad are found even among the scheduled caste people
3. Bhanu, B. V. (2004). People of India: Maharashtra. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 9788179911013.
4. Prasad, R. R. (1996). Encyclopaedic Profile of Indian Tribes. Discovery Publishing House. ISBN 9788171412983.
5. Reginald Edward Enthoven (1990). The Tribes and Castes of Bombay, Volume 1. Asian Educational Services. p. 113.
6. Nagendra Kr Singh (2006). Global Encyclopaedia of the South Indian Dalit's Ethnography, Volume 1. Global Vision Pub House. p. 181. There are no sub-divisions among Dhor Kakkayya of Dharwad district. The following surnames are found among them: Sindhe, Pol, Hatgar, Holkar, Borade, Gaikwad, Ingle, Mankar, Salunke and Kavale
7. Tulasīdāsa Viṭhūjī Geḍāma (1999). Untouchability and Its Origin. Yugantar Education Society. p. 158. In Maharashtra we find surnames of Jadhav, Chavan, Pawar, Gaikwad, Thorat etc. among the Maratha caste as well as Mahar caste
8. Christophe Jaffrelot (2006). Dr Ambedkar and Untouchability: Analysing and Fighting Caste. Orient Blackswan. p. 152. Gaekwad was typical of the Mahar old guard who had joined Ambedkar in the early days. It was a group largely rural in background
9. C.A. Kincaid (1994). Tale of the Tulsi Plant and Other Studies. Asian Educational Services. p. 52.